City officials should take a recent Waikiki Neighborhood Board vote against a mass transit route in their neighborhood for what it is: an expression of concern that a transit system could overwhelm the area's tropical, resort atmosphere.

But that should not take any future transit option off-track. As a practical matter, building any kind of transit system that does not include a link into Waikiki makes no sense.

Waikiki is a congested corridor that serves as a major employment center with relatively little parking. It is also the hub of tourist activity on the island. Waikiki simply must be linked to the rest of O'ahu by whatever system we come up with.

Still, the board's vote puts on the table a serious concern that must not be ignored as transit planning goes forward. Design, technology and routing must be appropriate to the area and could easily take into account the board's concerns. For instance, it might be possible to "scale down" that part of the system that runs through Waikiki so that it is more in keeping with the atmosphere of Waikiki.

What might be appropriate for the long-haul routes between 'Ewa and urban Honolulu might not be a perfect fit for Waikiki. One possibility might be a transfer station somewhere close to Waikiki with lighter spurs running up to the University and through Waikiki itself.

There's time to think of this and other options. An analysis of various transit options and costs is underway and will be presented to the City Council in November. At that point, the Council will choose from four basic options. But many details still will have to be determined.

The point here for transportation planners is that the board's vote is symbolic and likely will have little impact on an eventual decision to bring a much-needed new transit system into Waikiki. But if the project is to be successful, it must be done in a way that takes into consideration the needs and concerns of those who live and work there.